I once had a crush on a girl
named Hope
Brown hair in ponytail reaching
her waist
I had hoped to somehow get to
know her
Like a lot of my classmates I had
Hope hope
But with eighth graders you need to
speak to them
I couldn’t though I tried she looked
dubious
Thus dashing any hope I had, last
vestiges of
Hope hope and I left junior high with
nothing but
memories of a teen crush that left me
Hope less
– Mark L. Lucker
© 2023
http://lrd.to/sxh9jntSbd
Ah, Hope never got to know how she missed the mark! What a sweet post. Of course, what a perfect topic for this poem of hope/Hope.
I see what you did there…and I love it! Thanks, Denise. Hope you had a great/successful marathon!
I was in love with a girl called Kerrell. She told me Faith can move mountains. (But then she always was a big girl). I too considered a pun on Hope. Glad I didn’t. You did yours quite nicely 🙂
Thank you.
Good one Mark. It reminds me of a girl named Holly in 3rd grade. We wanted to be married! Due to circumstances beyond my control I had to move away. Lost touch with her. Ah, school romances.
Oliver
Well, there IS social media these days… 😉
Mark — this one brings back memories for me! I had a middle school “girlfriend” for months who I never managed to touch. Not even a brush against the shoulder, much less hand holding! Though we did talk — it was always just on the phone. Otherwise, it was all arranged via paper-notes written by friends. 😀
Thak you, Jacob. Glad this one connected with you. It was a fun write. At least you got a phone call! My story that somewhat parallels that didn’t happen until my senior year of high school! And we are still sporadically in touch.
Thanks for the comment and for all you do for our poet community!
Love your use of the repeated word. It was fun to read!
Thanks, Wendie! The moment I saw the prompt, I thought this one ripe for word-paly.
Clever!
Thank you, Cindy!
your hope was different from almost all the others I read. I enjoyed it- yes, I agree- it was clever and I love, love cleverness!
Thank you, Mikki!
Great use of the emotion to carry this poem through, word play understated and effective. Those wishes we had that didn’t come true remain a marvelous source of poetry — hope intended!
Thank you. And I appreciate your wordplay. 😉
Man oh man, can I relate to this. My first was Jane, Gr. 4.
Glad the piece resonated. Thanks, David!
Seems we all have a Hope, or someone like her to relate this to. Well done – using your words to paint and unifying experience.
Thanks, Kim.
Great poem Mark!!! I knew a girl named Hope too and we were best friends through primary and secondary school. I love how you weave together Hope, hope and then hopeless. Fun and endearing poem.
Thank you, Ingrid! This one really just flowed onto the page, as soon as I saw the prompt. I kinda like it, too!
Glad you do!